Ferrule for illuminating umbrella

ABSTRACT

A ferrule for umbrella is made of a light-transmissible material and defines an internal space for accommodating a light-emitting element mounted on a top of the umbrella. The ferrule is fixedly connected to a top of a shaft or an upper hub of the umbrella and is characterized in that at least a part of outer and inner surfaces of the ferrule is provided with a plurality of protrusions. The protrusions function like lens to diffract and scatter light emitted from the light-emitting element to create an enhanced illuminating effect, enabling the umbrella to have a bright illuminating source that provides good visually warning effect.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a ferrule for an illuminating umbrella, and more particularly to a ferrule that is able to enhance the illuminating effect of the illuminating umbrella.

[0002] An illuminating umbrella refers to an umbrella having a light-emitting element fixedly mounted on a top thereof. The light-emitting element is usually enclosed in a ferrule fixedly connected to the top of the umbrella. The ferrule is made of a transparent or semitransparent material. When the light-emitting element enclosed in the ferrule is powered by a power source provided in a handle of the umbrella to emit light, the emitted light is projected outward via the ferrule.

[0003] Generally, an illuminating umbrella uses an LED as its light-emitting element to emit only considerably weak light. And, the conventional ferrule for the illuminating umbrella is simply a hollow cylindrical member or a hollow tapered member for protectively covering the light-emitting element. The ferrule itself does not function to enhance the illuminating effect provided by the light-emitting element. Therefore, the illuminating umbrella using the conventional ferrule does not provide good illuminating effect, particularly at streets having a lot of intensive illuminating sources. On the other hand, an illuminating umbrella that provides a bright illuminating source that can be clearly seen even at well-illuminated streets would no doubt provide better protection to a user.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] A primary object of the present invention is to provide a ferrule for an illuminating umbrella, so that light emitting from a light source of the umbrella is largely enhanced when it is projected outward via the ferrule, enabling the illuminating umbrella to be clearly seen even at well-illuminated streets and serve as a good visually warning means.

[0005] The ferrule for illuminating umbrella according to the present invention is made of a light-transmissible material and defines an internal space for accommodating the light-emitting element mounted on a top of the umbrella. The ferrule is fixedly connected to a top of a shaft or an upper hub of the umbrella and is characterized in that at least a part of outer and inner surfaces of the ferrule is provided with a plurality of protrusions. The protrusions function like lens to diffract and scatter the light emitted from the light-emitting element to create an enhanced illuminating effect, enabling the umbrella to have a bright illuminating source that provides good visually warning effect.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0006] The structure and the technical means adopted by the present invention to achieve the above and other objects can be best understood by referring to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and the accompanying drawings, wherein

[0007]FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway perspective view of a ferrule for an illuminating umbrella according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0008]FIG. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of an illuminating umbrella with the ferrule of FIG. 1, wherein the umbrella is stretched but not illuminated;

[0009]FIG. 3 is a fragmentary plan view of an illuminating umbrella with the ferrule of FIG. 1, wherein the umbrella is stretched and illuminated;

[0010]FIG. 4 is a fragmentary, enlarged, and partially sectioned view of a handle for the illuminating umbrella shown in FIGS. 2 and 3;

[0011]FIG. 5 is a circuit diagram that enables an illuminating source of the illuminating umbrella of FIGS. 2 and 3 to flash automatically; and

[0012]FIG. 6 is a circuit diagram that enables an illuminating source of the illuminating umbrella of FIGS. 2 and 3 to light continuously.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0013] Please refer to FIG. 1 that is a partially cutaway perspective view of a ferrule 1 for an illuminating umbrella according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 that is a fragmentary plan view of an illuminating umbrella 10 with the ferrule 1 of FIG. 1, wherein the umbrella 10 is stretched but not illuminated; FIG. 3 that is a fragmentary plan view of the illuminating umbrella 10 with the ferrule 1 of FIG. 1, wherein the umbrella 10 is stretched and illuminated; FIG. 4 that is a fragmentary, enlarged, and partially sectioned view of a handle 11 for the illuminating umbrella 10 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3; FIG. 5 that is a circuit diagram enabling an illuminating source of the illuminating umbrella 10 to flash automatically; and FIG. 6 that is a circuit diagram enabling an illuminating source of the illuminating umbrella 10 to light continuously.

[0014] In the present invention, at least a part of inner and outer surfaces of the ferrule 1 is provided with a plurality of protrusions. The ferrule 1 illustrated in FIG. 1 is made of a light-transmissible material, that is, a semitransparent material, and defines an internal space 1 c for accommodating a light-emitting element therein. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, the protrusions provided on the ferrule 1 include a plurality of curve-sectioned strips 1 a raised from an outer surface of the ferrule 1, and a female spiral thread 1 b provided on an inner surface of the ferrule 1. A part of the female spiral thread 1 b may serve to screw the ferrule 1 to an upper hub of the umbrella 10.

[0015] The raised strips 1 a and the female spiral thread 1 b may be provided on any surface of the ferrule 1. That is, the raised strips 1 a and the female spiral thread 1 b may be provided on either the outer or the inner surface of the ferrule 1, or on both outer and inner surfaces of the ferrule 1.

[0016]FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate an illuminating umbrella 10 using the ferrule 1 shown in FIG. 1. The illustrated umbrella 10 is a manually controlled stick umbrella having a handle 11, a handle cap 12, a shaft 13, an upper hub 14, a movable lower hub 15, a set of ribs 16, a set of stretchers 17, tips 18, gores 19, and a light-emitting circuit 20. The light-emitting circuit 20 includes a light-emitting element 21, such as an LED, batteries 22, a switch 23, a controlling IC chip 24, wires 25 arranged in the shaft 13, and a spring 26.

[0017] Wires 25 are extended from terminals of the batteries 22 to the LED 21 via the switch 23 and the controlling IC chip 24 to form an electric circuit.

[0018] When the switch 23 is ON, the controlling IC chip 24 is actuated. At this point, power is intermittently supplied from the batteries 22 to the LED 21, so that the LED 21 flashes. And, when the switch 23 is OFF, the LED 21 does not emit light.

[0019] The controlling IC chip 24 may be replaced with a fixed resistor 27, as shown in FIG. 6. In this case, when the switch 23 is ON, the LED 21 will emit light continuously.

[0020] Although a manually controlled stick umbrella is shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, it is understood that the illuminating umbrella of the present invention may be other known type of umbrella, such as self-opening umbrella, folding umbrella, etc.

[0021] The illustrated ferrule 1 for umbrella is made of a colorless or colored light-transmissible material and has a plurality of curve-sectioned raised strips 1 a provided on its outer surface and a female spiral thread 1 b provided on its inner surface. The light emitted from the LED 21 is scattered by the raised strips 1 a and the spiral thread 1 b, indirectly making the entire ferrule 1 an illuminating body. That is, a full length of the ferrule 1 is illuminated. When viewing from a distance, the entire ferrule 1 looks like a considerably large illuminating body to illuminate continuously or intermittently. Weak light from the one single point of LED 21 is enhanced by the ferrule 1 to form a large illuminating volume and provide enhanced illuminating and, accordingly, good visually warning effect.

[0022] Therefore, the illuminating umbrella 10 having the ferrule 1 of the present invention mounted thereto provides very good illuminating effect, even at streets having a lot of illuminating sources. The illuminated ferrule 1 on the umbrella 10 can be quickly identified by car drivers, motorcycle riders and cyclists, and is therefore very helpful in terms of traffic safety.

[0023] The protrusions provided on the ferrule 1 are not necessarily limited to the raised strips 1 a on the outer surface and the female spiral thread 1 b on the inner surface of the ferrule 1 as the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1. The raised strips 1 a having a curve cross section may also be otherwise provided on the inner surface of the ferrule 1 while the female spiral thread 1 b is provided on the outer surface of the ferrule 1. Again, it is acceptable to provide the raised strips 1 a and the spiral thread 1 b on any one of the outer and the inner surface of the ferrule 1. Moreover, areas on the surfaces of the ferrule 1 for forming the protrusions 1 a, 1 b may also be changed. And, various cross sections may be designed for the protrusions 1 a, 1 b and grooves between adjacent protrusions.

[0024] That is, the protrusions on the ferrule 1 of the present invention may be formed from one or more adjacent spiral threads and spiral grooves. The protrusions 1 a, 1 b may have a trapezoidal, a triangular, or a round cross section.

[0025] The above-mentioned spiral grooves or protrusions may be left-handed or right-handed inclined spiral grooves or threads.

[0026] In another embodiment, the protrusions may be a plurality of curve-sectioned raised strips extended in parallel with the shaft 13.

[0027] The plurality of curve-sectioned raised strips may also be otherwise horizontally arranged to be closely adjacent to one another, or be parallelly spaced from one another at fixed intervals.

[0028] The grooves formed between the raised strips or threads may also be otherwise provided in checkered or diagonally latticed patterns.

[0029] Moreover, the protrusions are not necessarily limited to parallelly arranged raised strips but may be patterns showing dispersed beads, convex dots, or concave pits.

[0030] That is, the protrusions may have a convex cross section by forming a plurality of dispersed beads or a latticed pattern on the outer surface of the ferrule 1.

[0031] Alternatively, the ferrule 1 may be formed on its outer surface with a plurality of concave pits, so that relatively higher lands between adjacent pits form the protrusions.

[0032] In brief, the ferrule 1 of the present invention is provided on its inner and/or outer surface with orderly or randomly arranged dots and/or pits that function like lens and prisms, so as to diffract and/or scatter the light emitted from the light-emitting element 21 and make the ferrule 1 brightly illuminated and clearly visible from a distance. Therefore, the illuminating umbrella 10 with the ferrule 1 of the present invention provides good illuminating and visually warning effect, even at streets having a lots of illuminating sources, and can be clearly identified by car drivers, motorcycle riders, and cyclists to be helpful in terms of traffic safety. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A ferrule being fixedly connected to a top of an umbrella to enclose a light-emitting element mounted on the top of the umbrella, comprising a body made of a light-transmissible material and defining an internal space for receiving said light-emitting element therein, and a plurality of protrusions provided on at least a part of outer and inner surfaces of said body.
 2. The ferrule for umbrella as claimed in claim 1, wherein said protrusions are provided on an inner surface of said body of said ferrule.
 3. The ferrule for umbrella as claimed in claim 1, wherein said protrusions are provided on an outer surface of said body of said ferrule.
 4. The ferrule for umbrella as claimed in claim 1, wherein said protrusions are formed along spiral grooves that are spirally provided on said body of said ferrule.
 5. The ferrule for umbrella as claimed in claim 4, wherein said spiral grooves are formed by providing a pattern including right-handed and left-handed spiral lines on said body of said ferrule.
 6. The ferrule for umbrella as claimed in claim 1, wherein said protrusions are a plurality of axially extended and curve-sectioned raised strips.
 7. The ferrule for umbrella as claimed in claim 1, wherein said protrusions are a plurality of circumferentially extended and curve-sectioned raised strips.
 8. The ferrule for umbrella as claimed in claim 1, wherein said protrusions form convex lens on the outer surface of said body of said ferrule.
 9. The ferrule for umbrella as claimed in claim 1, wherein said protrusions are formed by providing concave pits on the outer surface of said body of said ferrule. 